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5 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 8, 1931. G. F. BELL WIRE LINE DRILLING CLAMP Filed May 19, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 G. F. BELL A WIRE LINE DRILLING CLAMP Dec. 8, 1931.'

Filed May 19, 1930 .n ..Ill .......l'lll Dec. 8, 1931e s. F. BELL WIRE LINE DRILLING CLAMP FiledMay 19, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 the clamping screw is tightened to prevent further movement. It will be noted at this point that inasmuch as the jaw members which carry the chains, and which are subjected to wear, are adjustable by lowering hook section 1G, Fig. 13, and replaceable after first loosening set screw 24, the life of the parts is greatly enhanced. The jaws due to their sectional nature and the take-up means provided, will last for a period heretofore unheard of in the art by making slight adjust ments as indicated above.

In disengaging the clamp from the wire line the jaws are unlocked and swung to open position, so as to relieve the pressure of the chains on the rollers.

lhat I claim is:

1. A wire line clamp comprising hinged jaw members, flexible line clamping means carried by said aw members, and means independent of the jaw members for causing the normal contact of the clamping means with a line.

2. A Ywire line clamp comprising hinged jaw members, endless line clamping means carried by said jaw members, and means carried by the jaw members for causing anormal gripping action between the endless line clamping means and the line when the jaws are in closed position.

3. In a wireline clamp, a yoke, jaws hinged to said yoke, endless clamping means carried by the jaws, means for adjustably locking the jaws in closed position, and means for positioning the clamping means in normal gripping position. i

4. A wire line clamp including a yoke, jaws hinged to said yoke, flexible engaging means carried by said jaws, means for locking said aws in adjusted position, and guide rollers for said engaging means.

5. A wire line clamp including a yoke, jaws hinged to said yoke, flexible engaging means carried by said jaws, means for locking said jaws in adjusted position, and rollers for said engaging means retaining same in ci ampin g position.

G. In a wire line clamp, a yoke, aws hinged to said yoke, endless clamping means carried by said jaws, means for adjustably locking the jaws in closed position, and means for positioning the clamping means in normal gripping position.

7. A wireline clamp including a yoke, aws hinged to said yoke, flexible engaging means carried by said jaws, means for locking said jaws in adjusted position, and guide rollers for said engaging means.

8. The substance of claim 7 characterized in that the rollers cosact with the flexible en gaging means to cause a positive clamping action.

9. A wire line clamp including a yoke, jawshinged to said yoke and formed with grooved guideways, endless engaging means carried by said jaws and adapted to travel in said guideways, adjustable means for securing said jaws in closed position, and rollers positioned to force said endless engaging means into normal gripping position.

10. In a wire line clamp, a yoke formed of a pair of hinged sections, jaws hinged to said yoke sections, endless clamping means carried by said jaws, means for adjustably locking the jaws in closed position, means carried by said yoke members Jfor positioning one side of the endless clamping means, and means carried by one of the jaw members for positioning the opposite sides of the clamping means.

1l. In a wire line clamp, a yoke formed of a pair of hinged sections, members hinged to each of said sections, endless clamping means carried by said jaws, means Jfor adjustably locking the jaws in closed posi- "i tion, and means carried by the yoke member for adjusting the sections comprising an elongated bolt, and means mounted on the bolt and engaging the endless clamping 7 means Jfor positioning the latter.

12. In a wire line clamp, a yoke formed of a pair of hinged sections, adjusting means for said hinged sections, jaws carried by said yoke sections, endless clamping means carried by said jaws, means for locking the jaws l in closed position, a roller formed with an annular groove mounted on the adjusting means for the hinged yoke sections and engaging one side of the endless clamping means, and a similar roller carried by one of the jaw sections for engaging the opposite side of the endless clamping means.

13. A wire line clamp comprising a yoke, hinged jaws carried by said yoke, gripping means carried by said jaws, means carried by said yoke for adjusting said jaws, means carried by said yoke for positioning said gripping means, and means for locking the jaws together.

14. The substance of claim 13 characterized in that additional positioning means for the gripping means is carried by one of the jaw members.

15. A wire line clamp com rising a yoke, hinged sectional jaws carried) means for adjusting said jaw sections, gripping means caried by said jaws, and means for locking the jaws together.

by said yoke,

16. The substance of claim 15 characterized ,1

in that the gripping means comprise endless bands.

17. The substance of claim 15 characterized in that the gripping means comprise endless bands and means are provided for positioning these bands with respect to one another.

18. A wire line clamp comprising a yoke formed of a pair of hinged sections, means for adjusting the sections of said yoke, hinged sectional jaws carried by said yoke sections, means for adjusting said jaw sections, flexible izo iso

`gn-rippinzg 'means Aearried 'by "said jaws, and means for locking said i'jaws' together.

19. A wireline,elampfeomprising azyoke 'formed `of faipairzof hin-ged sections, means Vfor adj listingl the' `sections *of* said iyoke 5Comprising- 'an elongatedibolt5 sectional-j aw members.. carried by said'yOkeseCtiOnS, Vmeansrfor adjusting ysaid sectional ijaws,-;endless gripping` imeans `carried by said jaws, means mounted ori-said elongated'boltfor positioning` .said gripping means, and means Vfor secaring the jaws together.

Q0. A wire line clamp comprising hinged jawzmembers, ieXible line velampinfzg means larried by said jaw members,..and eamming means'independent of theajaw members for eausingk thev normal Contact .of ythe clampingr means with a: line.

A wire liney @lamp Comprising-.hinged jaw members, endlessline clamping` means carried by saidaw members, and eamming means earriedfby thejaw members for Causing a normalgrippinag "aetionfbetween the endless Iline clamping .means and .the line when the aws are in closed-position.

22. l'n a wire line clamp, a pair of: separable jaw members, endless'lineelamping means `Carried by said jawmembersfandrotatable means earriedby the-j aw members and eoraiveratingwvith the clamping; means for eausing normal eontaetvof the latter with aline when sa-id aws are in closed position.

9,3. Ina wireline Clamp, a pair of separable ja\\f'-'men1bers, endless line Clamping rmeans sari-italv bysaid jaw members-and means disposed on opposite sides of the Iclamping means and-alined'with eaeh other, foren- ;ra-ging and Causing normal gripping action between the clamping means and aline-when said jaws are in closed position.

24. Inra wireline Clamp, ayoke'for-med' of a pair.of1liinged sections, adjustingfmeans 4.for said hinged sections, jaws earriedby said yoke sections, endless elampingmeans earried by saidjaws, means'for looking the aws in closed position, `a rol-ler carried by the adjustine means havingfa groove formed with outwardly diverging walls/adapted to engage one` side of the clamping means, and a similar roller earried by onevofthe jaws `for engaging the. oppositeside of the endless clamping means.

25. In a wire line clamp,` ayole formed ot a-pair of hinged'seetions, adjusting means 'for said hinged seetions,jaws carried by-said yoke sections, endless clamping means earriedby said jaws, means for'loeking the jaws in elosedposition, ashaft carried by the vadjusting means, a pair of diskson said shaft having opposed outwardlydiverging `faces adapted to engage one vside of the clamping" means, a shaft Carriedby one of thejaws, and a pair of similardiskscarried `by thelast named shaft for engaging-the opposite-side ,off the'endless clamping means.

:bers for causing normal Contact oi 26., Awirefline slamp, comprising a pair ofhmged jawimembers, movablefline clamping means carried by saidjaw members, and

rotatable means' independent o1- the jaw memthe Clamping meanswith aline.

27. A wireline elamp,inehiding a-pair of movable.jawanembera movable line elampingmeans Carried byv said jaw members, and rotatable means Carried bythejaw members Afor causingl normal Contact of the clamping `means 'earriedi by the jaws formed to engage the tapered faces ofy the'linlrs for causing,r normal 'Contact "of the Clamping means with a line.

20. ln a wire line clamp, a pair of movable; jaw members'apair of cooperating endess line clamping` means Carried by the aw members saiilmembe sfbeing eemposederf links havingtherinner faces of opposed peil" ms taperefhandra rotatable member carried bv the aws haring a part formed to engage-the taj ered faces of the linlsifer causing nermal Contact of the clamping means witn ya line.

80. In al wire' line clamp, movable'jaw membersfa pair of cooperating flexible line clamping means ea-rrie'dby.theijawvmembers, said ineansliaving.the iimeriiaees of opposed portions tapered toward the side edges thereof, and means Carried bythe jaw members havingaf partaformed to engage the tapered faceoiithe `clampingl means whereby to cause normal contact-:oli said Clamping` means with a line.

31. 'Ina wire line ela'mp,ra pair of movable jawrmembers, an adjustable sectional guide member pivotally mounted on each of said yjawmembers, :a flexiblelbelt in each of said guide. members, :and means carried byl the ja w members fer engaging said flexible belts whereby to veause'the latter to grip -a line therebetween whensaidjawmembers are in closed position.

j .Inv testimony whereof I .alli-X' mysignature.

:esoneri n. .nn-LL.

Patented Dec. 3, 1931 PATENTk OFFICE GEORGE F. BELL, F TULSA, OKLAHOMA WIRE LINE DRILLING CLAMP Application tiled May 19,

. This invention relates to improvements in wire line drilling clamps of the type shown and described in my former Patent #1,344,476, dated June 22, 1920, and comprehends changes and additions to this structure of such a character that the operation rial to slip the line does not free the grip chains from the line, whereby the travel of the line with the chains is compulsory.

More specically, the structure embodies the use of spaced rollers, the inner Jfaces of which are tapered to engage the outer tapered faces of the adjacent chain portion, whereby through suitable adjustment the chain portions can be brought together to clamp the wire line.

@ne of the objects of the present invention to so mount the parts subjected to wear that this wear can Vbe compensated for by c uick adjusting facilities, enabling` a longer use of the elements involved.

Other Jfeatures of construction wherebya compact, strong and eiicient assembly is pro- ..fided, will be apparent by reference to the accompanying drawings, speciiication and claims` wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section on line 2-2 of Figure 4;

Figure 3 is a top plan view showing the jaws in open position;

Figure 4 is a iront elevation;

.Figure 5 is a side elevation;

Figure 6 is a vertical section through one of the jaws;

Figure 7 is an end view showing the hinged joint oi' the yoke;

Figure 8 is a perspective showing the jaws in open position; Y

Figure 9 is an end view of one of the links oi the gripping member;

Figure 10 is a bottom plan view of alink;

Figure 11 is a side elevation of a link;

Figure 12 is a transverse section through one of the jaw members;

Figure 13 is a partial vertical section through the lower portion of the jaw; and

1930. Serial No. 453,707.

Figure 14 is a fragmentary view of one of the jaws and tongue carried thereby.

The present invention comprises a yoke member formed of curved sectionsl 1 and 2, Figs. 1-3, having reduced outer hinged extremities 3 and 4, Figs. 3 and 7, formed with registering openings for the reception of the hinge pin 5. The opening accommodatingr this-pin is larger than the pin itself, permitting free movement of this joint `forpurposes hereinai'terv outlined. The inner extremities of the yoke section are bifurcated and arranged parallelior supporting the jaw members. The bifurcated extremities 6,Figs. 4 and 7, of the yoke members are formed with alined vertical openings 7 through which extend the pins 8, these pins extending through vertically alined openings in the jaw members 9 and 10 and hinging these parts together.

rIhe jaw members, each of which is substantially identical, comprise in each instance a sectional body. The upper section includes 4an enlongated grooved wall portion 11 which extends upwardly around the curved extremity and -downwardly terminating in a free hook shape portion 12, Fig. 6, which is practically parallel to the wall 11. The lower .face of the upper hook section is flat as at 14 to accommodate the adjacent fiat portion 15 of the lower hook section 16. rI he lower channelled section 1G is provided with a pas sage 17,the inner face 18 of which is 'O'rooved to form a continuous trough# haper guide way alined at both ends with the groove formed inthe upper section. It will be seen that the gripping chains will be substantially encased by the wall forming the passage in the lower jaw section. Vertically extending pins 19 and 20 are fixed at spaced intervals in the upper flat face 15 of the lower section and extend into openings 21 and 22 respectively, formed in the lower adjacent section of the upper aw portion. A set screw 24, Fig. 12, extends through the wall forming the opening 21 and engages the pin 19, locking these parts against vertical movement. The upper face of the lowei` jaw member is cut away as at 25 to form a space for the extremity of the pin 8 which hinges the upper jaw section to the corresponding yoke section.

The gripping elements which are in the form of endless chains are preferably formed of bronze or similar material to resist wear of the parts. The chains comprise in cross-section an enlargedcentral portion 26, Figs. 9-11, off-setvand shaped to sseatwithin the groove formed in the jaws. The lateral edges of the chains are reduced and their inner faces are tapered as at 27vto'provide adjustment as hereinafter disclosed. The outer faces of the chains are substantially flat/and are formed with adjacent longitudinally eX tending grooves, which when caused'to register, :form anY openingrfor 1 the passage .of the cable.

'fTo bringabout the vproper engagelnent'of the. gripping vchains with they cable, suitable 'frictionf rollers arelprovided. T he rear roller is mountedonazholt. 28, Figs. 1-3,1e1 1tending through theiyolreportions l: andl Qfandkloc'lred inipositionibyusuitable:nut 29 and loci; Imit 61. The-rear roller, which has a=runningiit onf thej boltl28, z is formed `insections 161 "and 31,' section -3lhaving an annularv hub portion 32- screw threaded as: at 1T hei roller "sectonf30 is formed ywithacentral opening-of suiiicientv diameter toseat upon .the .huh porwin32-and is heldin; place by thenuts 34 and 35, the.Y latterl .locking -theassembly :The inner faces of-thef rollerA sections :aref tapered at 36,:the-taperconforming to the tapered faces of the; gripping chains, indicated :by reference character 27, and with which theyiare arrangedftoengage.

:The :front .f roller `iis :substantially 1 identical iny construction Lwithfthe rear .roller :andi's carried on the 5 pin .37 'hinged to an f. intermediateportionf of oneiof thejawsthrough? the medium of the, .Ufshaped -stirrup 38, Figs. .1-3,the:eXtremities ofz-whichstraddley thev extensionf andare formed with'ropenings40 aligned with-1an opening :inzthez extension 39, for-thefreception oftheahingezpin 41. The stirrnp 38 straddlesithe pini and isixed theretof'by weldingor otherwise asidesired. This. mounting of the pin 371permitsthe same to be swung outwardly 'I to free the itapered faces' offthe rollerrfrom tcontact with' .thefadjacenttapered facesof thelgripping chains, when ithe `parts are i disengaged. Forward extensions 42aand43are formed integralzwith the i respect-ive j awsand- 'enclosethe 'forward r o llerrand Aroller mountings, `one of f the forwardfext'ensions being formed 4with afslot fori the ffree movement' of. the' pin 37',7 permitting'thelatter to bepositioned in engagement withthe-A gripping chains. JF or holding thefrolfler in 'engaging position with thewgripping chains, alhook 44zis`provided -1 pivoted to Athe extension -43vof one ofthe ija'wsfby pivot pin 45. (Ihisfhook 441isfslotteilzat 46 'andfthis'lslotireeeivesthe free extremity .of

"cause the jaws to be brought together. It

will benoted .that one of the side walls of -the yoke 48 is provided with an elongated slot leinwhich travels thel pin @extending from one of the jaw extremities. This structure is merely-.providedto retain-.the parts in their relative position duringI operation.

Theupper ends of the-jaws .are hinged together yby the interengaging, inwardly yea:- tending tongues 53, Figs. 3 and 4, provided with elongatedslots 62, Fig. 14,'to accommo date the vertical pin 54. This arrangement, while retaining theparts properly in position,.permits the opening of the jaws.

A pin .55,Figs.l,3 and-4, is hinged to the vertically extending tongues 5G by'means of hinge pin 57 andis adaptedto be swung to engage the inner face of the boss 58 to aline and position the wire line when in operation.

`Links 59 4and 60, F ig. 4, are provided for connecting with the temper -screw in Vthe usual way.

flnusing'thet present invention the clamp jaws are swung open and the clamp is pulled ontoy thefiine. The jaws are then brought'together and clamped by the means heretofore described with a suiiicientfgrip to hold the same onthe line for the regular drilling operation. The openzposition is illustrated in F 8 of the drawings.

Due to the fact that the gripping chains and the elements cooperating therewith are slightly flexible in their nat-ureand mounting, a centering action takes place between the two rollers as they seat uponthe inclined faces of the chains. This automaticpositioning and centering of the elements is quite important and advantageous .andfacilitates in alarg-e way the application vanduse of'the device, particularly in that it avoidszthe-necessity of a great degreey of accuracy on the part of the operator.

When it is necessaryv in the course of the 'drilling operation to slip'theV line, the clamping rscrewis loosened in theusual way which decreases 'thevfriction' between the chains and the jaws, while at the `same time the wheels holdV the chains tight on' the line, forcing the latterto move witlr the line, thus transferring the'wear and frictienfrom the line, as heretofore common in the art, to the faces of the jaws l. exposed to wear. vWhen fa suliicient length offline.g has pulled' through the clamp, 

